H o w t o
(^12) U s e I t
BEST ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE
SATECHI MULTIPORT
ADAPTER V2
Price: $79 | Ports: 4K HDMI (60Hz),
Ethernet, USB-C passthrough
charging, SD/Micro card reader,
three USB 3.0 | Transfer speeds
(MB/sec): 40 (read) and 160 (write)
through USB 3.0; 35 (read) and 90
(write) through Micro SD; 75 (read)
and 90 (write) through SD
Satechi’s USB-C hub is compact
and to the point, packing the seven
most essential ports for getting
work done. Each offers a satisfy-
ing click-lock mechanism that keeps
each attachment secure. Data trans-
fer speeds for USB and card storage
were easily the fastest of the mod-
els we tested. And while other hubs
lock their detail-packed 4K resolu-
tions at a middle-of-the-road rate
of 30Hz, the Satechi offers a silky
smooth 60Hz performance. It does
get a bit hot under maximum power
draw, yet the aluminum body dis-
sipates that heat well. We do wish
Satechi offered more than 60 watts
of passthrough power delivery for
more stable performance from con-
nected devices.
B E S T P O R T A B I L I T Y
IOGEAR DOCK PRO
Price: $79 | Ports: Tw o U S B - C ,
USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI | Transfer
speeds: (MB/sec): 55 (read) and
110 (write) through USB 3.0
IOGear’s Dock Pro 60 supports
Samsung’s Desktop Experience
(DeX) feature and can also output a
Switch’s display to a TV using just an
HDMI wire—eliminating the need for
Nintendo’s original bulky dock. This
makes it easy to tote group games
like Mario Kart and Super Mario
Party to social gatherings in one
compact package. We found that
this USB-C hub slipped into pockets
with ease, thanks to a body that’s
about the same size as a pack of
playing cards. Game+ Mode ensures
your connected device reaches
maximum resolution with support
for up to a 4K Ultra HD resolution at
30 hertz. We did have to subtract
points for the relative lack of ports.
BEST CONNECTIVITY
TOTU 13- IN -1
Price: $79 | Ports: Ethernet/RJ-45 Port, Type
C PD3.0 charging port, two USB 3.0, two USB
2.0, 2 HDMI video output with 4K (60Hz single,
30Hz dual), VGA, 3.5mm auxiliary, SD & TF card
reader | Transfer speeds: (MB/sec): 51 (read)
and 110 (write) through USB 3.0; 33 (read) and
89 (write) through Micro SD; 81 (read) and 88
(write) through SD
The Totu 13-in-1 hub turns a single USB-C port
into 13 different connectors. With support for
two HDMI display outputs at a 4K resolution,
tons of USB ports, card storage, and a giga-
bit ethernet hookup, this hub lends itself nicely
to use as a docking station. A larger body, along
with slightly slower transfer speeds than the Sat-
echi model and limited 75-watt power delivery
for all the devices you could possibly load this
USB-C hub up with, bumps the Totu USB-C hub
to an extremely close second place.
We evaluated ten USB-C hubs with a range of prices
and features over the course of a month, running each
through the same simultaneous load by plugging in a
gaming mouse, a gaming keyboard, and a condenser
microphone. These are power-drawing items we use
every day that could give us a baseline comparison and
suss out any performance issues.
Using BlackMagic Disk Utility on Mac and AJA Disk
Test on Windows, we measured average file transfer
speeds for USB 3.0, SD, and micro SD, using a 4GB
1080p file across both major operating systems. We
noted port connectivity (number and range), video
output quality, and overall design. Lastly, we factored
in any other defining useful features.
THE BEST
USB-C HUBS
FROM OUR TEST
84 November/December 2021